Chapter 61 – Pleasing the Boss

Hadrian POV

“God, finally. Where have you been? Steele already left, and I’m already drunk.” Adly is the most mature of me and my siblings most of the time, but whenever she gets a little intoxicated, she lets loose and I’m reminded of the chubby cheeked wild child that got in as much trouble as her two older brothers, if not more.

Honestly, I think she should let her guard down more often. But not necessarily when I’m around. She can be a lot of fun, and I can be a lot protective, which doesn’t make a good time for either of us.

She’s on her own tonight, though. My attention is elsewhere.

I sit down on the stool next to her and nod to the bartender before I respond. “I’m sorry. It’s been a day.”

Hopefully, that’s a sufficient recap of the last twenty-four hours. Despite assuring Brystin that the news leaked this morning was nothing to be concerned about, I’ve spent the ten hours since I left her house, doing cleanup. It’s not like I lied to her. There is no bad publicity is a motto I firmly live by, but that doesn’t mean that I could let Hunter’s comment to the press ride.

First, I called an emergency meeting of the board where I vehemently recommended he be removed since his actions could be seen as a plot to undermine the company. I knew it was futile. Half of the members, including my father, couldn’t be there on such short notice. Hunter didn’t even feel threatened enough to show up.

Nevertheless, it felt productive.

The same way it felt productive to yell at the managing editors of the City Post, telling them that if they ever again published the word whore, or any other salacious comment about Brystin Shaw, they would immediately be fired, no matter who said it.

Again, futile. The news is the news, and if it’s a Seymour who made the remark, it’s going to be front page. If I stepped in and prevented that from happening, it would be the board calling an emergency meeting about me.

In the end, I did get my employees to agree that they would be more careful about quoting derogatory comments about women in general, which felt like a win, and on my way to meet Adly at the club, Hunter’s father, Reynard, called to let me know that he didn’t approve of Hunter’s actions and would see to it that he worked more to support the family’s interests.

That doesn’t mean Reynard and I are on friendly terms, by any means, but it does feel like I might finally get some reprieve from Hunter’s constant attacks. Though, I might fuck that possibility if I go through with my plans tonight.

But you know what? It will be worth it.

“Want to tell me about it?” Adly asks out of habit, but her sloppy mannerisms say she’s in no state for a serious conversation. She doesn’t even give me a chance to answer before distracting herself with another topic. “It can’t be worse than Dad’s news. I’m seriously disturbed. It’s going to be so fucking weird.”

Great. I don’t have the energy for whatever this is.

Thankfully, the bartender sets a glass of something red in front of me like a gift from the gods. “What is it?” I ask as I bring it up to my nose. Not that I don’t trust Denim. He always works Saturday nights at Spice, and knows what I like.

“La Playa Estate Merlot, 2019. One of the best Chilean wines I’ve tasted in a long time. I discovered it a couple of weeks ago, and made sure to save a bottle for you.”

“It smells like suede.” It’s a unique bouquet for sure. I’m pretty sure I also detect berries and a mossy scent. The first swallow is smooth, while flavors of cherries, stewed plums, and spices tantalize my tongue. “Very nice.”

It really is an excellent wine, but even now, the taste of Brystin’s cunt permeates. It’s a flavor that has been branded into my neural pathways. One that I swear will be the measure for any other flavor that touches my palate for the rest of my life. It’s distracting, to say the least.

Let’s not even mention how my dick feels after the sample it got today. It’s a miracle that I was able to stop. Even after I heard Elvis’s voice, I was tempted to push all the way in and fuck her like she deserved. Fuck her right there in front of him on his prissy-ass bed.

Yeah, I really need this drink.

Denim gives me a hand gesture to say he’s got me and then leaves to attend to other customers, which leaves me attending to Adly, who is practically clawing at my jacket to get my attention. “Do you think we’ll have to be in the ceremony? What are we even supposed to call her?”

I stare at my sister, wishing I could ignore whatever this is, but I’m getting the sense that I can’t. “What the fuck are you talking about, Ad?”

“Oh my God!” She throws her hands up in the air in frustration, or more like she’s about to strangle me. “You and Steele never read the goddamn sibling text thread. It’s maddening. I’m talking to the void in there. Do you think I want to repeat myself every—”

“Adly.” I cut her off sharply. “I don’t fucking care about this right now. I have other shit. So get to the point, or leave it for another time.”

There’s no way she can leave it. “Dad,” she says. As if I hadn’t already gathered that part. “He’s getting married.”

Whoa.

That is…

I don’t even know how to process this. “No, he’s not. He can’t be. What do you mean he’s getting married? Did he tell you that? He’s not dating anyone.”

“I know. That’s what I said. He called me this morning, super early because the time diff and everything, because he wanted to tell me. He said, he’s old enough ‘to know’ and that Giulia is the real deal, and he’s, like, ‘over the moon.’” She leans in close to enunciate her point, so close, I can smell the lemon drop martinis on her breath. “He literally said he was over the moon, Hadrian. I don’t know who he is anymore. It’s almost like I should be happy for him, but…” She shrugs.

I shake my head, unable to put the words she’s saying into a proper shape. “He’s been in Italy for that business deal for…what? Three weeks? And now he’s telling you he’s getting married? It’s a joke, Ad. He’s pranking you.”

Odd because he’s never been the pranking type, but it’s easier to believe that than the idea that something massive happened to him, and he didn’t bother to call me.

“He’s not pranking. It’s for real. He’s gaga over her. He sent me a pic, but I don’t have my phone, obviously. I’ll send it to you later.”

“You have a picture? Why didn’t he tell me or Steele?”

Again, she shrugs. “Probably knew you were busy with all that Hunter shit.”

I roll my eyes. Fucking selfish Adly. If she knew about the ‘Hunter shit,’ she already knew what kind of day I was having, and she expects me to have room to focus on this bullshit?

I’m too annoyed now to continue the conversation. Turning away from Adly, I take a big swallow of my wine.

---